Now, $1,000 reasons to study

UH promises money to high-schoolers with top grades or scores

The University of Hawaii has a message to high school seniors: Bring up your grades and you'll have a $1,000 reason to stay at home.

As part of the university's centennial celebration, it is offering $1,000 a year to Hawaii high school graduates with top grade point averages, or high standardized test scores and who are willing to stay home to study at the UH.

The Manoa campus also will create a Chancellor's Centennial Scholarship, giving an additional grand to students who have both a high GPA and standardized test score.

University officials said the program starts next fall for incoming freshman with GPAs of 3.8 or above, or 1,800 on their three-part SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT equivalent. Officials said that in recent years, about 1,000 Hawaii students had the qualifying GPAs, and more than 1,300 had qualifying SAT scores, but that there was significant overlap between the two groups.

The potential value for the first year of the program could be more than $1 million.

"The Centennial Scholars program provides an incentive for academically talented high school graduates to come to UH," UH President David McClain said in a news release. "We celebrate their achievement, as we celebrate the university's centennial."

Rich or poor, students will receive the scholarship based solely on their academic performance.

All students who have financial need will still be eligible for federal and local financial aid.

Students who maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout their college career continue to receive $1,000 per year for up to four years on a baccalaureate campus and up to two years on a community college campus, according to the UH. Students who graduate from a Hawaii high school in 2007 or later are eligible.